Review Detail

Did You Hear What Happened in Salem? The Witch Trials of 1692 by Katie Kennedy is a captivating tale that is essentially the original true crime story, and it’s totally addictive.

This middle-grade nonfiction account of the infamous witch trials in colonial America is filled with pure chaos and paranoia. It walks you through the first accusation to the ending, where 19 people are found guilty and tragically hanged for the crime of witchcraft.

What I Liked: The book opens with a Who’s Who list, giving background on both the Accusers and the Accused to help readers understand the characters. Black and white illustrations set the spooky tone for each chapter. The chapters themselves are short, but packed with riveting information including what a "witch cake" is and how people actually used it to try and sniff out a witch! It’s clear the book was heavily researched, and as a bonus, the author includes a list of additional books so you can keep learning.

Did You Hear What Happened in Salem? is a book that history lovers as well as true crime junkies will enjoy.